ear tubes in a 4.5 yr old?

[Anonymous]

My child has hearing loss in one ear due to multiple ear infections and constant fluid in them. His other ear is fine. The ENT suggested ear tubes this summer but in reading about tubes, he's on the edge of when it's usually done.

He still has one more year of preschool and I"m thinking about not doing tubes this year and seeing if the hearing trouble persists. Anybody been through this decision making process?

He's mis-hearing words right now like hears "fourth" when I say "face" not an exact example but similar and it happened a number of times this weekend.

He's fine otherwise. Talks fine and can be understood. Has a good vocabulary. Sometimes (a lot) has trouble "listening" in preschool so gets privileges taken away. That bothers me but I think we should give it one more year.

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I don't see why you would wait. Mine had them done a few months ago and I would have done it sooner if I could have. I think the hearing loss issue is important at this age. I didn't want my son spending any more time not being able to hear properly.

[Anonymous]

I was nervous about tubes for our 2 year old, because of the general anesthetic. At 4.5 I would be less concerned.

I think your last paragraph is telling. When we were deciding, I spoke to one of my girlfriends who had tubes in kinder or first grade (I forget which) and she told me how she was always getting in trouble, was the "bad" child, because she couldn't hear. The problems went away when she got tubes, but she was mad at her parents for waiting so long.

See a different ENT, if that would make you more comfortable. But I would suggest getting the tubes, sooner rather than later.

[Anonymous]

Is your child in daycare, OP? Just wanted to figure why your DC has so many infections.

[Anonymous]

Some kids are just more prone to ear infections.

[Anonymous]

I thought ear infections were rare at that age?

[Anonymous]

preschool all day. Pediatrician said the only way to prevent them is to not send him to preschool. That's not going to happen.

However, both of my little brothers had tubes in the preschool years and both did not go to preschool since my mom SAH. So maybe it's genetic with my boy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought ear infections were rare at that age?

NP here. Our ENT, who's well-respected (Dr. Bahadori) told us that ear infections tend to come in two waves- from 0-2 and 4-6.

[Anonymous]

Pediatric audiologist here. Is the hearing loss conductive or mixed? What are the hearing loss levels in that ear? Mild? Moderate? Severe? Hearing aid/FM system maybe? How many ear infections in the last year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pediatric audiologist here. Is the hearing loss conductive or mixed? What are the hearing loss levels in that ear? Mild? Moderate? Severe? Hearing aid/FM system maybe? How many ear infections in the last year?

Hum...OP here and kind of embarrassed that I can't answer your question.

The loss level in that ear is very high; he can only hear the loudest of sounds in it but the sound wave test (on the bone) he passed in his less-hearing ear. 3 ear infections in the last year (3 in the the year before too).

[Anonymous]

So, I had tubes when i was 3,5,7 and 12. Never went to daycare. Just had ears that didn't drain properly and an ear drum that was stretched very very thin. I almost went deaf at age 3 so I'm glad my parents did the surgery so that i could hear.

I would say do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pediatric audiologist here. Is the hearing loss conductive or mixed? What are the hearing loss levels in that ear? Mild? Moderate? Severe? Hearing aid/FM system maybe? How many ear infections in the last year?

Hum...OP here and kind of embarrassed that I can't answer your question.

The loss level in that ear is very high; he can only hear the loudest of sounds in it but the sound wave test (on the bone) he passed in his less-hearing ear. 3 ear infections in the last year (3 in the the year before too).

I am not the audiologist but I really don't understand why you are waiting. What's your reason to wait?

[Anonymous]

Do the PE tubes now. A hearing loss can have social/educational/emotional impacts.

[Anonymous]

Surgery and general anesthesia is serious business! I'm the OP and as a child I had an adverse event to anesthesia (I woke during an emergency abdominal surgery). not good...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I had tubes when i was 3,5,7 and 12. Never went to daycare. Just had ears that didn't drain properly and an ear drum that was stretched very very thin. I almost went deaf at age 3 so I'm glad my parents did the surgery so that i could hear.

I would say do it.

I had them at 6 and 10. Still have one in my ear (I'm 35). I also didn't go to day care.

I don't really remember not hearing well before I was 6. But I remember that I was moved from the "slow" reading group to the advanced after I got them. When I got the second time, I could barely hear. It was really frustrating, and I often avoided asking people to repeat what they said, because I had to so frequently and people would get frustrated with me for asking. It was pretty isolating at times. I honestly can't imagine why you would wait.